Contractor jailed after duping Sandy victims

If you recall, in 2012 Hurricane Sandy proved to be one of the most destructive storms in years, inflicting almost US$70 billion of damage. New Jersey was particularly hit hard, creating a ton of opportunities for contractors as homeowners dealt with the carnage in the months that followed.

One contractor in particular took advantage of the situation, and he’ll serve three years in state prison as a result.

George LaRosa, 50, of Barnegat, New Jersey, was recently convicted of stealing over US$450,000 from 19 homeowners whose homes had been damaged by Sandy, as he failed to repair their houses.

After pleading guilty in the fall to theft by deception, he not only faces this prison sentence, but will have to pay restitution of US$456,000 to his victims.

Taking advantage of people at the worst point in their lives is about as low as you can go, so kudos to the legal system for throwing the book at this individual.